Identifying technostress (SC1)
| Scenario Description | |
| Title | Identify technostress |
| Creator | Seyma Kocak |
| Main Idea / Description | Basics of technology stress. Technology is everywhere. Be it at home, at work, in the office, or on public transport. Devices such as smartphones mean that we are constantly available everywhere. The problem is the stress that can arise from poor usage behavior, affecting people. Whether others expect to respond immediately to an email, text message, etc., or are overwhelmed by technology, e.g., problems with online banking. Digitalization is running at full speed in schools, and the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the pace. As a result, there is a risk of increased technostress being placed on teachers and pupils. Therefore, Teachers and pupils should be introduced to technostress with the help of the teaching materials. The following points are addressed:Teachers and students identify their stressors and deal with and evaluate them. Teachers and students acquire knowledge about possible strategies for coping with stress. Computer science, ethics, or politics courses can cover the teaching unit. The primary aim of the lesson is to teach teachers and students strategies for dealing with technostress. The teacher should not only lead the course but also benefit from the knowledge about technostress. An information sheet on technostress is made available to the teacher from the outset, containing the most essential information. |
| Target Group | Teachers and students Students age 15-18 Time: variable |
| Curriculum & Learning Subjects | Ethics, politics, computer science |
| Competencies | Teachers and students identify their stressors, deal with them and evaluate them.Teachers and students acquire knowledge about possible strategies for coping with stress. |
| Teachers’ Wellness Competences | Competences Teachers Need for Technostress Mitigation: – Knowledge of technostress risks and mitigation strategies. – Ability to identify technostress risks in distance learning scenarios. – Ability to design distance learning scenarios that mitigate technostress risks. – Ability to support learners who are experiencing technostress. – Ability to protect themselves from experiencing technostress. – Emotional leadership/ e-mediacy |
| Learning Scenario Framework | |
| Pedagogical Method | What positive learning strategies are incorporated into the scenario to prevent or mitigate technostress? What is the focus of these positive learning strategies? – Foster collaboration and support (Teacher-student and peer relationships) – Promotion of Individual emotional well-being -Selection of suitable teaching methods for student-centered learning (effectiveness of learning) Positive pedagogical interventions: PI1. Emphasizing strengths (Lean on your strengths and have a positive mindset) |
| Software & Materials | Distance Learning Context: Delivery Platform: Scenarios can be delivered through a dedicated Learning Management System (LMS). Typical platforms include Moodle, Canvas, or Blackboard. Tools and Resources: Various tools and resources are required, including: – Video conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) for virtual meetings and discussions. – Online presentation tools for delivering instructional materials. – Collaborative tools for group work and discussions (e.g., Google Workspace, Microsoft 365). Learners’ Interaction with the Scenario: Learners can interact with the scenario through various means, including: – Participation in virtual classes and discussions. – Engaging with online exercises. Learning Space on the Learners’ Side: The learners’ learning space is situated in their home environment or a location of their choice with a stable internet connection. Actors (Facilitators): Teachers or instructors who design and facilitate the course.Technical support staff for addressing potential technical issues encountered by learners. Mitigating technostress can be achieved through the following measures: Clear instructions for the use of technologies and platforms.Providing technical support for problem resolution.Flexibility in technical requirements to accommodate varying technical skills among learners.Awareness promotion for healthy technology use and the encouragement of digital competencies. |
| Evaluation Tools | Assessment:How will you assess learner learning? Assessment will include formative methods. Formative assessments may consist of quizzes, discussions, and participation in online activities. How will you provide feedback to learners on their performance? Feedback will be in written comments on assignments and discussion posts. Video feedback or virtual office hours can also provide a more personal touch. Constructive feedback should emphasize strengths and identify areas for improvement. How will you evaluate the effectiveness of technostress reduction? The effectiveness of technostress reduction will be assessed through reflection tasks in which learners share their experiences and perceived changes in their stress levels. Debriefing:How do you help learners reflect on their learning? Debriefing can be done through virtual meetings or discussion forums. Encourage learners to reflect on their understanding of technostress, the most effective strategies, and any challenges they encountered during the learning process. What questions will you ask them to reflect on? – What specific aspects of the course helped you to understand technostress better? – Can you give examples of where you have successfully applied techniques to reduce technostress in your own experiences? – What challenges have you encountered in applying these techniques and how have you overcome them? – How is the topic of technostress reduction discussed in the debriefing? Discuss technostress reduction by: – Reviewing key strategies presented in the course. – Sharing success stories or challenges learners have faced in implementing these strategies. We encourage open discussion about these techniques’ continued relevance in learners’ personal and professional lives. Identifying areas where the course content or delivery can be improved in terms of mitigating technostress. |
| Learning Scenario Implementation | |
| Learning Activities | Scenario Events: Introduction With the help of a brainstorming session, the students are encouraged to think about the topic of technostress. The learners then work in groups on the basics of the subject and create their own information sheet containing the following information: Their own definition of the term, the origins of technostress, and the consequences of technostress. The information sheets are then presented to the class. Progression The worksheets provided are used for further discussion of the topic. By completing worksheet 1, the students should record the situations in which they have felt stress when using digital technology, for example for a week. Once the log has been completed, they can start working on the second worksheet. Worksheet 2 should be used to identify and evaluate the stress triggers for the stresses placed in the personal stress diary. The worksheets are completed individually and anonymously. Note To be able to tackle the reduction of technostress, it is necessary to deal with one’s stresses. Stressful situations must therefore first be recorded. The so-called technostressors can then be identified and assessed based on the log or diary. Once this has been done, the next step is to consider strategies to minimize technostress. Information sheets on possible strategies for coping with technostress are handed out so that students can learn how to reduce and avoid technostress. The method can then be applied to personal complaints on their own. Reflection Students discuss and reflect together on their own habits when using technology to identify areas where improvements can be made. |